Dearest Friends by Pamela Lynne

Author:Pamela Lynne [Lynne, Pamela]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi, azw3
Tags: Fiction, Romance, Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice, Darcy, Historical
Publisher: Vanity and Pride Press
Published: 2014-11-14T00:00:00+00:00

“What is it, Georgiana?” Darcy responded to his sister’s embrace with a question.

“Oh, Fitzwilliam, they are drinking.”

“Already?”

She nodded. “Yes, and Lizzy and the Gardiners will be here any moment. Brother, what if she sees how they are behaving and runs from us? I would not blame her if she abandoned us after witnessing the drunken mob that awaits her in the drawing room.”

“Georgie, you know she would do no such thing. At least, I hope not. Come, let us see if we can get them under control before she gets here.”

Darcy walked into the room with his usual grim expression and bowed. “Good evening, everyone.” A chorus of “Good evening, Darcy” followed as he moved to take away the brandy and sherry containers. “I think we can dispense with these for the time being. Was it necessary to begin drinking so early in the evening?”

A collective yes was heard, and Darcy again questioned the wisdom behind his decision to have them all there at once. Elizabeth was certainly accustomed to boisterous relations, but as far as he knew, they were never all in their cups around the dinner table at Longbourn.

Lady Susan stood and walked around the room as she spoke to Darcy. “I do not know why you felt it necessary to take away the sherry, Darcy. It is not as if any of us have been known to imbibe. We merely had a pre-dinner aperitif.”

“Both bottles are nearly empty, my lady,” Darcy spoke as if he were reprimanding a child.

“Catherine drank most of it.”

“I did not! And if I did, it was to fortify myself for an evening looking at that thing you have on your head. It is quite ghastly, Susan. With so many feathers, one would think you were trying to take flight.”

“I will have you know, Cathy, that this is the height of fashion here in town. Not that you could ever don something so remarkable. What do ladies wear in Kent these days, pelts and hides, or have the savages finally taken to wearing clothes like the rest of society?”

“I take back what I said, Suzie, I no longer believe you wear that thing out of a desire to join the real birds in the air. You actually need it to hide your horns!”

A snort was heard from the door as Jennings did not hide amusement at the scene before him. He composed himself just long enough to announce Elizabeth and the Gardiners, who had heard much of the exchange between the two ladies. Darcy moved forward to greet them, but a suddenly exuberant Anne got there first.

“Lizzy!” she exclaimed as she embraced her tightly. “I am so glad you are here. We are having ever so much fun, but I have to tell you,” her voice became low as she looks around furtively, “I have had a little too much sherry. I do not think anyone has noticed, yet, so shhhhhhh!” She giggled and returned to her seat where she placed her elbows

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